The White House late Thursday shared a Trump-themed tribute on X, formerly Twitter, designed to capitalize on the widespread public interest surrounding pop star Taylor Swift and NFL player Travis Kelce. The post, which included a collage featuring Trump alongside historical figures and iconic American moments, coincided with the wedding of Swift and Kelce scheduled for Friday.
The tribute featured a composite image with Trump at its center, flanked by figures such as Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, and interspersed with depictions of significant events like the end of World War II and the moon landing. The accompanying caption, "It’s been a long time coming…," directly referenced a line from Swift's promotional material for her Eras Tour. This move by Trump's social media team appears aimed at leveraging the significant public attention, or "mania," surrounding the singer and the NFL star.
This gesture of flattery follows a complex and often adversarial history between Trump and Swift. While Trump offered positive remarks about Swift around 2012 and supported her after a public breakup, his tone shifted significantly when the singer became more politically outspoken. In 2018, Swift endorsed a Democratic candidate opposing Senator Marsha Blackburn, an action that prompted Trump to publicly state he liked Swift's music "about 25% less now."
Further public comments from Trump over the years have continued to reflect this tension. During the 2024 presidential campaign, he asserted that Swift could not endorse President Biden, claiming credit for the Music Modernization Act, which benefited musical artists. Following Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris, Trump reportedly posted on social media, "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!" In the summer of 2025, he referred to Swift as a "Woke singer" and claimed she was "was booed out of the Super Bowl and became, NO LONGER HOT," contrasting her with actress Sydney Sweeney.
Despite this history, Trump's remarks when asked about Kelce and Swift's engagement in August 2025 were more conciliatory. He described Kelce as "a great player" and "a great guy," and Swift as "a terrific person," wishing them "a lot of luck."
The wedding of Swift and Kelce was scheduled to take place on Friday at Madison Square Garden, with an expected attendance of over 1,000 guests, including numerous celebrities.
